Bin discharging apparatus



Aug. 22, 1950 A. REDLER BIN DISCHARGING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 30, 1949 MN 0 mvm 9 o o haw o o o 9N NM INVENTOR. 4-inch Pea 0.654

Arrow/EV NM. \A mm wwfi n mm n w QN MN Wm NM Aug. 22, 1950 A. REDLER 2,519,929

BIN DISCHARGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 50, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Egg IN V EN TOR.

Ame/d Fed/er ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1950 BIN DISCHARGIN G APPARATUS Arnold Redler, Stroud, England Application August 30, 1949, Serial No. 113,159 In Great Britain August 13, 1948 11 Claims.

This invention relates to discharging apparatus of bins for powders and other fiowable solid materials, more particularly flour, and similar materials which are apt to bridge within the bin and thus make it difficult to obtain a reliable and steady discharge from the bottom of the bin. Such materials are hereinafter mentioned as flour or equivalent.

It is the object of the invention to provide an improved form and construction of discharging apparatus which is extremely adaptable to bins of various sizes and for a large range of materials, the improved apparatus being simple to manufacture and reliable in operation. The invention is concerned more particularly with apparatus of the general form which is described in my United States Patent No. 1,416,416, issued May 16, 1922, and in which a unit for incorporation in the lower part of the bin comprises a frame-like structure spanned by a slotted false bottom, one or more endless articulated material detaching members or conveyors being arranged to encircle the false bottom and being driven so that the part of each conveyor member disposed above the false bottom acts to detach from the main bulk, and agitate, the flour or equivalent in its vicinity, thus causing it to fall in a divided form through the false bottom, on to the lower or return part of the said conveyor member, which part carries the flour or equivalent to a discharge opening.

According to the invention, a bin discharger for flour or equivalent comprises an apertured false bottom in the bin, a plurality of endless tension members driven to run across the upper surface of the false bottom, and return beneath it, and a series of cross-bars which extend laterally between adjacent tension members, and are loosely connected at their ends to the said tension members. Preferably the cross-bars are connected to the tension members by joints enabling the cross-bars to move angularly backwards and forwards relative to said tension members. Thus the adjacent tension members may be driven so as to have relative motion in the forward and rearward sense, the tension members each leading alternatively, so that the average speeds of said tension members are equal. Alternately the tension members may advance in unison but at a cyclically varying speed.

Conveniently the cross-bars are in the form of trailing flaps which are pivotally connected at their ends to the tension members, with freedom to move angularly up and down as they trail over the false bottom.

The tension members may be alternately advanced intermittently by driving means acting to move the tension members across the false bottom, advancing means being provided to move in unison those parts of the tension members extending below the false bottom. The advancing means may comprise a shaft which is coupled to both tension members and is rotated by whichever tension member is being moved by the driving means, the advancing means thus driving the return run of the other tension member.

Thus the advancing means can conveniently comprise a freely rotatable shaft having fast upon it a pair of wheels which inter-mesh with the tension members, each at the finish of their return run, both tension members having a substantial amount of slackness, which, for that tension member not being moved by the driving means, accumulates at the commencement of the upper run; and for that tension member being moved, accumulates at the commencement of the lower run.

If desired, the chains or tension members may be advanced intermittently by driving means comprising one or more oscillatory ratchet pawls arranged to pull the tension members across the false bottom; usually each of the tension members has its own oscillatory ratchet pawl. The ratchet pawls preferably operate with a phase difference so as to apply advancing movements in sequence to the tension members.

In another arrangement the tension members are advanced by driving means comprising nonconcentric wheels, the portions of greater and smaller radius of each wheel causing the corresponding tension member to advance relatively quickly and slowly, alternately.

Normally each tension member comprises a closely articulated roller or like chain, the advancing means comprising a rotatable shaft having fixed thereon a sprocket for each tension member, the shaft thus acting to transmit motion from one tension member to the other or others.

In the preferred construction the cross-bars have at their ends, apertured lugs which engage loosely with pins projecting from the tension members.

The false bottom of the bin conveniently comprises a plurality of slat members, each of inverted channel shape in cross section. Each of the slat members can fit over a locating device secured to the sides of the bin, the locating device conveniently comprising, for each slat membar, a pair of mutually parallel rods or tubes extending across the bin in spaced relationship, and spanned by the fianges of the slat member.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a typical bin discharger suitable for the delivery of flour, the section being taken on the line ll of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan of the connection between one end of a cross-bar and the corresponding tension member drawn to an enlarged scale, the cross-bar being partly shown in section taken on the line 33 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective diagrams to show the operation of the device;

Figure 7 is a side elevation showing alternative means for driving the tension members;

Figure 8 is a plan showing the adaptation of the invention to a bin discharger having three tension members, these being driven by ratchet pawls having 120 degrees phase displacement; and

Figure 9 is a sectional elevation of a modified structure for supporting and guiding the tension members at the discharge end of the bin.

The bin is indicated at l and is of rectangular shape plan with a front wall I l, a rear wall. I 2 and two side walls l3. It is conveniently made of sheet metal and it has at its lower part a transverse sheet metal partition Hi welded between its side walls l3 so as to form a tie and at the same time act as a baffle to prevent bodily movement of the flour or equivalent in a rearward direction.

The bottom proper of the bin is indicated at and is formed with a transverse outlet opening US through which the flour or equivalent is dis.- charged in a constant stream when the bin discharger is in operation. The discharger is located immediately above the bottom l5 and comprises mainly a false bottom indicated generally at ll, a conveyor device indicated at l8 and driving means for the conveyor device which driving means are indicated generally at I5. For accommodating the discharger, the bottom part of the bin l0 has a front extension 20 formed with a lid 2! and detachable inspection cover 22; a corresponding and somewhat larger extension 23 is provided at the rear and has a top cover 24 and rear inspection cover 25.

This rear extension 23 accommodates the driving mechanism l9 which, in the installation shown, comprises an electric motor 26 connected through a reduction gear unit 21 with a pinion 28 running in mesh with a gear wheel 29 upon a crank shaft 38. This crank shaft 30 is mounted in bearings 31 carried by brackets 32 and it has at its ends a pair of crank pins 33a and 33b which are arranged at diametrically opposite positions so that they are 180 degrees out of phase. These crank pins drive the detaching device I8 through a pair of ratchet pawls 34a and 34b which are identical and are of the shape shown in Figure 1. Each has at its rear end an eye 36 which fits pivotally upon the corresponding crank pin 33a or 33b, while its forward end is formed with a downwardly pointing hook-like beak portion 36; the intermediate part of the ratchet pawl slidably engages with the lower edge 37 of a corresponding support member 38a or 38?) acting as a fulcrum for the ratchet pawl.

The support members 38a, 38b are arranged in slides 39 so as to be adjustable vertically, the adjustment in each case being efiected and locked by means of a screw 40 which is slidable through a fixed bracket 4| and is located by a nut 42 and wing nut 43.

The front extremities 36 of the ratchet pawls 34a, 341) are engageable with a pair of endless tension members in the form of closely articulated roller or like chains 44a and 44b disposed one at each side of the false bottom I! as will be seen in Figure 2. At its rearmost part each chain passes around an adjustable or spring-urged curved guide 45 and then extends forwardly along thebottom 15 of the bin, past the discharge opening l6 and thence upwards around a fixed curved guide 46. Above the guide 46 the discharger has an advancing device comprising a transverse shaft 41 which is freely rotatable in a pair of bearing brackets, one of which is seen at 48, said: shaft having rigidly secured to it a. pair of sprockets 49a, 4% around which pass the chains 44a and 44b, the chains, as they leave the sprockets 49a, 49b, of course move on to the front of the false bottom ll. It will be noted from Figure 1 that there is a substantial amount of slackin the chains and this is purposely provided in order to produce an improved detaching action as will be hereinafter explained in greater detail.

The false bottom I! is constituted-1 by a number of slat members 50 which are made of sheet metal and are bent downwards at their front and rear edges as indicated at 5! so that they are of inverted channel shape in cross section; they fit snugly over consecutive pairs of metal tubes 52 which are. fixed at their ends into the side walls H! of the bin [0. Thus the upper surface of the false bottom I! is substantially plane but is formed with lateral slot-like openings between. the adjacent slat members 50. It willbe noted, moreover, that the false bottom I! is inclined downwardly towards its rear. The foremost slat member indicated at 50a is for convenience made wider than the others and its front edge is smoothly curved at 54 to form a guide for the chains 44a, 44b, an angle member 55 being fitted across the bin to support said front portion. The front wall ll terminates a short distance above the false bottom I! and it carries a baflle member 55 made of sheet rubber or like flexible material adapted to prevent flour or equivalent from flowing forwards over the false bottom ll. With this form of construction the false bottom is easy to manufacture and it can readily be dismantled merely by lifting off the channel-shaped slats 5D;

A number of flights or cross-bars 51 are fitted at intervals between the chains Ma and 44b to constitute part of the conveyor device [8, each cross-bar being in the form of a strip 58 of metal which is connected at its ends to the chain 44a and 441) so as to be free to pivot up and down and also move angularly in the forwards and backwards sense. The construction of the connection is shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4; occasional pivot pins of the chain (say the chain 44a) are extended to form inwardly directed projections and one of these is shown at 59 in Figure 3. This is loosely embraced by an eye 60 composed of circular shape welded or otherwise secured to the end of the strip 58. The eye 50 is circular in radial section as will be seen in Figure 3 and as it is a loose fit upon the projection 59, it enables the cross-bar 5'! to move angularly about the axis of the projection 59 and also to move angularly through a small angle in the general plane of the false bottom [1;

As the crank shaft 30 revolves, the ratchet pawls E ia, 3 b are moved forwards and backwards along the chains Mia, 44b between the side plates thereof and thus produce an intermittent rearward movement of the chains along the false bottom H, for the beak portion 36 engages the successive pins or rollers of the chain during the rearward stroke of the ratchet pawl, although during the forward stroke thereof the ratchet pawl rides freely owing to the provision of the sloping surface 68. As the ratchet pawls 34a, 34b work 180 degrees out of phase, the chains 44a, 447:: are moved alternately, each one remaining stationary while the other is moving, that is as far as the upper runs of the two chains are concerned. The crank shaft 38 rotates counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 1 so that the two supports 38a, 38b hold the ratchet pawls 35a, 34b positively downwards in engagement with the chains Ma, 44b during the operating stroke, as the crank pins 33a, 33b are then each at the top of its orbit. On the other hand during the return stroke or forward movement of the ratchet pawls 35a, 342) they are free to ride upwards over the chain pins or rollers as the crank pins are each at the bottom part of its orbit.

It will be seen, therefore, that the upper runs of the two chains 4 3a, 44b are always moving difierentially with respect to one another and therefore the cross-bars 51, instead of advancing in constant parallel relationship to the front and rear walls H and i2, progress one end at a time alternately as they are pulled rearwards by the respective chains 4 30,, Mb. The differential motion considerably assists the cross-bars 5? to break up and detach the flour from the bottom of the mass within the bin Iii, the cross-bars 51 trailing across the upper surface of the false bottom El and causing the detached flour to.fall through the openings 53 onto the bottom [5 of the bin. The chains Ma, MD and the cross-bars 57, where they rest upon the bottom of the bin, are of course moving in a forward direction and thus carry the flour or equivalent bodily in a layer to a position over the discharge opening i6, the flour or equivalent automatically falling through said opening aided by the action of the flap-like trailing cross-bars 51 which naturally fall by gravity and thus disturb the layer of flour or equivalent as it reaches the discharge opening 56.

It is desirable that the lower runs of the chains 44a, Mb move in unison to provide an efiicient en masse conveying action and this result is successfully achieved by the use of the advancing means comprising the shaft 4'! carrying the two sprockets 49a, 49b. The action is shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 6. In Figure 5 the ratchet pawl 34a, is on its forward or return stroke and it will be noted that the chain 44a is stationary on its upper run but has a slack portion 62a which is being produced in the following manner The ratchet pawl 34b is in operative engagement with the upper run of the chain Mb and as it is nearing the end of its stroke, the upper run of the chain Mb is taut so that the advancin movement of the chain causes the sprocket 53b to be turned, at the same time rotating the shaft 4? and sprocket 29a. Therefore the lower runs of the two chains Ma and 4422 are moved in unison along the bottom of the bin It, the ad.- vancing movement of the chain 44a around the 6. sprocket Mia causing the slack to appear at 62a. During the next half revolution of the crank shaft 38 the ratchet pawl 34b stops driving the chain i ibibut the ratchet pawl 34a comes into action. During the first part of the stroke, the upper run of the chain 44a is pulled rearwards, thus reversing the obliquity of the cross-bars 5'! and taking up the slack at 62a -and transferring it to the loop at the left end of the chain. From this point onwards the upper run of the chain 46a is taut so that the sprocket 49a is rotated and correspondingly turns the sprocket 49b causing the lower run of the chain Mb to move in unison with the lower run of the chain 3 1a, slack being formed in the chain l ib at 62b as shown in Fig ure 6.

The action can thus be summarized as follows. At the beginning of each operative or work stroke of a particular ratchet pawl, said ratchet pawl only has to move the upper run of the corresponding chain so that the load is relatively light; during this stage the lower run of the chain is stationary and both runs of the other chain are completely stationary. At a predetermined point in this stroke the slack is then taken up and the operative ratchet pawl then has to drive both of the lower runs of the chains to convey the fiour or equivalent to the discharge opening; during this portion of the stroke, however, the upper run of the other chainstill remains stationary.

It will be understood that the above is given only as an example and that various other means for driving the chains or equivalent tension members of the conveyor devicecan be used. Thus, in Figure 7 alternate advancement of the upper runs of the chains 42a, 52b is obtained by a pair of sprockets fiSCL, 53b, each mounted eccentrically upon a common driving shaft 64 and disposed 180 degrees out of phase. The chain 44a passes around the sprockets 63a. and in similar manner, although not shown, the chain Mb passes around the sprocket 83b. Although the driving shaft 6 rotates at a constant speed, the velocity at which the chains Ma, Mb are advanced varies cyclically in accordance with the operating radius of the corresponding sprockets 63a or 63b so that for the greater part of the time the two chains 44a, 4 52) are moving differentially although their average speeds are the same. The result is the same as that described in connection with Figures 5 and 6, the shaft 5! of the advancing means causing the lower runs of the two chains Ma, Mb to be intermittently moved in unison while slack is formed alternately in the two chains as indicated at 62a in respect of the chain 44a.

In the modification shown in Figure 8, three tension members are provided at the bottom of the bin It and are indicated at 46a, 44b and 440. Crossbars 5M and 51b are connected between them as before and the tension members are intermittently advanced by means of three ratchet pawls 34a, 34b, and 350; these are oscillated by a common crank shaft 38 which, however, in this instance has three crank pins 33a, 33b and 330 having a mutual phase difference of degrees as indicated by the diagrams forming the left hand part of Figure 3. The intermittent motion which is imparted to the chains Ma, Mb and 440 causes the cross-bars 57a and 51b to change the sense of their inclination twice during each revolution of the crank shaft 30.

As illustrated in Figure 9, a modified form of guiding and supporting structure forming a part of the advancingdevice for the chains and designed to effect intermittent movement of the 7 chains in unison along the lower runs during :alternate movement .of the chains ialongithe upper run may comprise a. pair of relatively :large sprockets 1G0 lmountedsiast on a fizeely rotatable shaft 1172 and over which the chainsMa, Mb may pass. Inthemodified embodiment; rasshown. the sprockets Hill .are disposed tangentially with the lower runs of :thechains at therbottom, and are disposed below the upper runs of :thechains at the .top so that theslackzmayzbe morezreadily formed between the upper runsand the relatively lower tops-of the sprockets, and also eliminating the fixed curved .guides 4,5 and, the relatively smallersprockets 49a, 49b.

in some casesitmayibe desirable for theochains or equivalent tension members to be moved .throughoutin unison, in; whichserent, of; course, simple driving means may be employed, ,such tor instance as concentrically mountedzsprockets for producing uniform motion; if an intermittent motionin unisonis required two or more ratchet .pawls can be used, these, or course, being-driven with an in phase" relationship,

Combinations of the abovexmethods are available; also modification in the bottom' of the troughs of the detacher units canbe made to ensure gradually increasing loads to :be collected on the under chain in order that abstraction shall take place more ,or less under the whole area of the bottom of the'bu1k:so that the bulk will .sink preferably evenly when the bin discharged. is operation.

it will further ;be appreciated-that in certain circumstances the invention includes; the provision of a bin discharger combining in a single structure a plurality of more orless independent material detachers each comprising a chain and sprocket drive, and in whichsome .or. all of the chains may be run at .the same'speedl Also that in some cases the -.material detachers may :be arranged so as to run at an angle to each other or in dirierentldirections.

It will be appreciated that the. crossrbarsin operation must be strong enough to cutthrough :the bulkof material in ;theibin.l The :bars, therefore, may. :be thin ,and flat and in ttdihng ey will present the :thinedge'to the cuttingthr eh of the material. At :the ,sa-metime theyioangtrail in the easiest position-and OQGa'SiQHaJ-IYESWCEP the lands, and also on the return sweep the surface in the :bottom, while moving the loadwhich has fallen through the apertures. The disoharger .unit need have no projections onzthe [outsldes and consequently .units'lmay be placed 101058430- gether when required for large :bins.

Having thus described the invention; w-hat is claimed is:

1. In a bin discharger .of the character described, aconveyor element comprising a pluality of tension members; .aserieszof flight members extending transversely 3b e-tw een' said tension-members; means connecting the-endsof said flight members with said tension members and allowing substantial movement of saidtension members relative toeach other; and-drivingmeans for positively moving said tension members reiative to each other to alternately advance the opposite ends of said flight members.

2. In a bin discharger "of the character described, a generally horizontal conveyor element comprising a plurality of endless tension members; a series of cross 'bars extending transversely between said tension members, said .cross bars being swivelly connectedito saidltensionlmembers to allow angular movement of said cross bars in av generally horizontal plane and rocking more. ment thereof inayertica-l plane .relati-re .to said tension members; and ldriringxmeans ior'alternately advancing first .;one; tension member and then theiother.

3. In a binldischarger of the character described, ,a conveyonelement: comprisinga plurality of endless tensionlmembers :and a iSEIidS of :trans- :versely extendediflieht members connected :to and disposed between adj acent tension members and allowing substantial movement of said tension members :relativeirto each other; and meansfor drivingsaidconveyor element to eiiect'said relative movement of said, tension members, said drivingmeans including a plurality of, crank-operated-arms, one for each of said tension-mem- :bers, said arms being outpf phase'andeacharm cooperating with the respective tension member associated therewith to efiect alternate intermittent movement of said tension :members relative to each other.

,4. :In a bin ,discharger of the character described, a conveyor comprising a plurality of endless chains; a series oftransversely extended liightimembers loosely connected .to anddisposed between said chains to permit independent rela- :tive movement of said chains; driving meansineluding a plurality of: crank-operated hooked arms, each arm havin an idle-strokeandia .work stroke, said-arms being arranged -.O.u t of' phase, and beineensa eame wi h a re pective ch in d ring itsworkstreke to eliect alternate intermittent movement of said chains; and adjustable tmeans cooperating withteach 'hookediarm to maintain the same in operative engagement with its associated chain during the work stroke .of the arm.

,5; in a bin discharger of the character :described, aconveyor element-comprising,aplurality of endless :tension memberszand aseries of trans- :versely extending flight members f-loosely connected to, and disposed between adjacent tension members, to allow movementof said tension members relative to each other; and means -for driving said conveyor element to effect said rela- :tive movement of- :said tension members, said driving :means including aqdriven shaft and a plurality of wheels :eccentrically zmollnted 5011 said shaft and out of phase with :each =other, each wheel being drivingly engaged with a tension member, whereby :to effect .cyclically varying speeds :of their respective tension members.

'6. In a :bin discharger of the character described, an endless conveyor :having .a plurality of endless elements, material moving members extending transversely :between said elements, each element having upper and lower. run portions, atleast said :upper run portions :being movable relative to each other; means :for driving :saidconveyor to effect alternate advancing movement .of one upper run portion relative to the other upper run portion; and means operable in response to .the alternate advancing movement .of said upper run portions for efiecting advancing movement in unison .of said lower run portions.

7. Abin discharger of the character defined in claim 6, :inavhich the means for advancing the flower run portions of the endless elements in unison includes a freely rotatable shaft; and a plurality of wheels fixed to said shaft, each wheel being :in driving engagement with a separate one of said endless elements, said wheels being respectively rotatable by the advancing movement of the upper run portion of the endless element associated therewith.

8. In a bin discharger having an apertured false bottom through which material may fall and a real bottom below said false bottom provided with a discharge outlet; an endless conveyor cooperable with said false bottom and having an upper run movable across said false bottom and a lower run movable across said real bottom and across said discharge outlet, said conveyor comprising at least two chains and a series of cross bars disposed therebetween and swivelly connected thereto to permit relative movement of the chains with respect to each other and angular movement of the cross bars with respect to said chains; and driving means for positively moving said chains relative to each other to alternately advance the opposite ends of said flight members.

9. A bin discharger of the character defined in claim 8, in which the swivel connection between the cross bars and the chains includes apertured lugs at each end of the cross bars and pins projecting from the chains and loosely engaging the apertured lugs.

10. A bin discharger of the character defined in claim 8, in which the false bottom comprises a plurality of spaced slat members, each of in verted channel-shape in cross section; and means for mounting said slat members including spaced parallel rods adapted to extend across the bin and be spanned by the slat members.

11. In a bin discharger having an apertured false bottom through which material may fall and a real bottom below said false bottom provided with a discharge outlet, an endless conveyor having an upper run movable across said false bottom and a lower run movable across said real bottom and across said discharge outlet, said conveyor comprising at least two chains having substantial slack therein and a series of cross bars therebetween and swivelly connected thereto to permit relative movement of the chains with respect to each other and angular movement of the cross bars with respect to said chains; driving means for alternately effecting intermittent advancing movement of the upper runs of said chains so that one upper run is idle while the other is advancing; a curved guide for said chains at one end of the conveyor; an idler shaft at the other end of the conveyor; at least two sprockets fixed to said shaft, each of said chains being trained over said guide and a, separate one of said sprockets and in driving engagement with its associated sprocket, the advancing upper run of one chain effecting rotation of said sprockets and causing the lower runs of the chains to advance in unison, the upper run of the idle chain at such time accumulating slack therein at a point adja cent its sprocket.

ARNOLD REDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1 Name Date 1,416,416 Redler May 16, 1922 1,527,146 Litchfield et a1 Feb. 1'7, 1925 

